Nubia Vazquez Arana was born in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The eldest of four children, she spent most of her childhood in Mebane, N.C. Arana was the first person in her family to go to college and admits that when pursuing a graduate degree, she was uncertain about a doctoral program.
“My advisor from undergrad really believed that the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Presbyterian College would be a great fit for me,” said Arana. “I was looking for a school that provided a program with a small student-to-professor ratio and a close-knit atmosphere, but also a program that could challenge me in this field. I was hesitant to choose a doctoral program rather than a master’s because I did not think I could make it through a doctoral level program. If it wasn’t for my advisor’s encouragement for me to apply, then I would not be where I am today.”
Arana first learned about occupational therapy when working in rehabilitation as a certified nursing assistant. When she watched an OT build a tool on-the-spot to help a patient’s unique needs, Arana was in awe of the creativity involved with the profession. She was immediately hooked.
“At the time, I was in nursing school, and I decided to make the switch and pursue occupational therapy instead,” said Arana. “I am so thankful for this decision.”
Arana admits that the Occupational Therapy Doctoral program has felt challenging at times, but that she has engaged with classmates and faculty for support along the way.
“Due to the rigor of studies, I always seek advice on assignments, goals, and time management, as going from a bachelor’s degree to a doctoral degree was a huge transition,” said Arana. “In terms of the program faculty, I talked a lot with Dr. Moni Keen and Dr. Alisa Kollmann as they encouraged me throughout my studies. Talking to them has definitely brought my interests into mental health and implementing it into practice is something I aspire to do.”
Arana is currently working on her capstone research project, which focuses on implementing an occupational therapy-based program for postpartum depression. She will continue to do research until at her fieldwork site in January 2025, where she will develop a program for the facility for postpartum depression.
“Being an occupational therapist means being a lifelong learner, so I would like to expand my knowledge and specialize in a specific field, but I am not quite sure what that will be yet,” said Arana. “However, I do aspire to become a professor in an OT program one day and teach others what I learned in this profession.”
